Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Valley and Chi McBride in "Human Target."When Fox announces its schedule for the following mid-season each spring, it's best to view it as something of a rough draft. So the schedule I reported on last May isn't entirely consistent with what Fox announced today.

Here are the major bullet points, followed by Fox's full release:

"American Idol" will have its usual two-night premiere on Tuesday, Jan. 12 and Wednesday, Jan. 13.

Starting the following week, the Wednesday show will have to run as an hour, because "Human Target" (based on the DC comic about the world's greatest bodyguard) will be airing after it at 9 as of Jan. 20, following a Sunday night preview in between football and the two-hour "24" premiere on Jan. 17.

"Glee" will wrap up its fall run on Dec. 9, then will return on Tuesdays, post-"Idol," on April 13.

"Past Life," which was going to air after "Idol" on Tuesdays, has instead been banished to Thursdays at 9, where it will fill in for "Fringe" from Feb. 11 through the end of March.

"Sons of Tucson," a sitcom starring Tyler Labine from "Reaper," will air Sundays between "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy" starting March 14.

"Lie to Me" received a full-season order, but has no timeslot as yet past next week's episode.

The remaining episodes of "Dollhouse" will air on Fridays from Jan. 8-22.

"'Til Death," which Fox keeps renewing, then immediately pulling from the schedule, "will return to the schedule at a later date."

And here's the full press release...

FOX
ANNOUNCES 2009-2010 MIDSEASON SCHEDULE

“AMERICAN IDOL”
RETURNS WITH TWO-NIGHT SEASON PREMIERE

TUESDAY, JAN. 12
AND WEDNESDAY, JAN. 13

NEW
UNSCRIPTED SERIES “OUR LITTLE GENIUS” DEBUTS

WEDNESDAY, JAN.
13

NEW
ACTION DRAMA “HUMAN TARGET” PREVIEWS

DURING EXTENDED
PRIMETIME SUNDAY, JAN. 17 AND

MAKES ITS SERIES
PREMIERE WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20

“24”
STARTS THE CLOCK DURING TWO-NIGHT, FOUR-HOUR
EVENT

SUNDAY, JAN. 17
AND MONDAY, JAN. 18

CELEBRATE THE
“BEST. 20 YEARS. EVER.” OF “THE SIMPSONS”

WITH
“THE SIMPSONS 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: IN 3-D! ON
ICE!”

AND
MILESTONE 450TH EPISODE SUNDAY, JAN.
10

GORDON RAMSAY’S
“KITCHEN NIGHTMARES” TURNS UP THE HEAT

FRIDAY, JAN.
29

NEW
THRILLER “PAST LIFE” EMERGES THURSDAY, FEB. 11

AND
NEW COMEDY “SONS OF TUCSON” DEBUTS SUNDAY, MARCH
14

“GLEE” ROCKS ITS
FALL FINALE WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9

AND
RETURNS WITH ALL-NEW EPISODES TUESDAY, APRIL 13

“FRINGE” AIRS
WINTER FINALE THURSDAY, FEB. 4

AND
RESURFACES WITH ALL-NEW EPISODES THURSDAY, APRIL
1

“LIE
TO ME” PICKED UP FOR THE BACK NINE EPISODES
BRINGING

THE
ORDER TO A FULL SEASON

FOX is announcing premiere dates of new and returning
series as well as revisions to its 2009-2010 midseason schedule. FOX also
has ordered a full season of the sophomore drama LIE TO
ME.

January starts off on a high note
when the ninth season of AMERICAN IDOL, television’s No. 1 series, begins with a
two-night premiere Tuesday, Jan. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and
Wednesday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). Immediately following AMERICAN
IDOL on Jan. 13 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), FOX unveils the not-to-be-missed
series debut of OUR LITTLE GENIUS, a new unscripted series that features
America’s most gifted kids as they are tested with some of the most challenging
and difficult questions that only a remarkable little genius could answer.

A special extended primetime event
on Sunday, Jan. 17 kicks off with the NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF (4:00 PM-CC
ET live/1:00 PM-CC PT live), which leads into the explosive series preview of
HUMAN TARGET (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), the new full-throttle, action-packed drama
about a unique private contractor (Mark Valley) who will stop at nothing – even
if it means becoming a human target – to save his clients. The special primetime
event concludes with the first installment of the pulse-pounding two-night,
four-hour premiere of 24 (9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT). The season premiere of 24 clocks
in for two more hours of action Monday, Jan. 18 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT),
and the season premiere of HUMAN TARGET airs Wednesday, Jan. 20
(9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) following AMERICAN IDOL (8:00-9:00 PM
ET/PT).

On Sunday, Jan. 10, FOX
presents a special SIMPSONS event beginning with the animated series’ milestone
450th episode, “Once Upon a Time in Springfield” (8:00-8:30 PM
ET/PT), in which BART (Nancy Cartwright) and MILHOUSE (Pamela Hayden) try to
help KRUSTY (Dan Castellaneta) regain his popularity after network executives
force him to restructure the format of his television show by hiring a female
sidekick, PRINCESS PENELOPE (guest voice Anne Hathaway). Then, Academy
Award-nominated filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (“Super Size Me,” “30 Days”) will
presentThe Simpsons 20th
Anniversary Special: in 3-D! on Ice! (8:30-9:30 PM ET/PT). The
documentary special examines the global phenomenon that is THE SIMPSONS and
serves as the momentous conclusion to the “Best. 20 Years. Ever.,” a year-long
global celebration of THE SIMPSONS that launched in January 2009.

Chef Gordon Ramsay steps out of his
own kitchen to serve up a new season of KITCHEN NIGHTMARES on Friday, Jan.
29 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Each week, Chef Ramsay will try to help turn
around some of the most unsanitary and unsuccessful restaurants in New York, New Jersey,
Florida and California on the verge of closing their doors
forever.

PAST LIFE, a new drama series
inspired by the book “The Reincarnationist” about detectives who investigate the
world of the unexplained, will bow with a two-hour series premiere Thursday,
Feb. 11 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and will make its time period premiere
Thursday, Feb. 18 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).

SONS OF TUCSON, the new family
comedy from Emmy Award winner Todd Holland (“Wonderfalls”) about three young
brothers who hire a charming, wayward schemer to stand in as their father when
their real one goes to prison, debuts Sunday, March 14 (8:30-9:00 PM
ET/PT).

AMERICAN IDOL sings on
Tuesdays (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) when it makes its time period premiere
Jan. 19 followed by the time period premiere of OUR LITTLE GENIUS
(9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), and 24 syncs up for its time period premiere Monday,
Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).

After its fall finale Wednesday,
Dec. 9 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), GLEE returns from its interlude with a score
of all-new episodes on a new night beginning Tuesday, April 13
(9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). FRINGE delves into its winter finale Thursday, Feb.
4 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and then resurfaces with new cases beginning
Thursday, April 1 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Joss Whedon’s DOLLHOUSE goes out
with a bang with its series finale Friday, Jan. 22 (9:00-10:00 PM
ET/PT).

RECAP – FOX
2009-2010 MIDSEASON SCHEDULE

(All times ET/PT
except as noted)

MONDAY

Monday, Jan.
4:

7:30 PM-CC ET
TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL
(LIVE)

Monday, Jan.
18:

8:00-10:00 PM 24 (2-Night / 4-Hour Season Premiere, Part
2)

Mondays, beginning Jan.
25:

8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE

9:00-10:00
PM 24 (Time Period
Premiere)

****************************

TUESDAY

Tuesday, Jan.
5:

7:30 PM-CC ET
FEDEX ORANGE BOWL
(LIVE)

Tuesday, Jan.
12:

8:00-10:00 PM
AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere,
Part 1)

Tuesdays, beginning
Jan. 19:

8:00-9:00 PM
AMERICAN IDOL (Time Period
Premiere)

9:00-10:00 PM
OUR LITTLE GENIUS (Time Period
Premiere)

Tuesdays,
beginning April 13:

8:00-9:00
PM AMERICAN
IDOL

9:00-10:00
PM GLEE (Time Period
Premiere)

***************************

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday, Jan.
13:

8:00-9:00 PM
AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere,
Part 2)

9:00-10:00 PM
OUR LITTLE GENIUS (Series
Premiere)

Wednesdays, beginning
Jan. 20:

8:00-9:00 PM
AMERICAN
IDOL

9:00-10:00 PM
HUMAN TARGET (Series
Premiere)

***************************

THURSDAY

Thursdays, beginning Jan. 14 (no
change to lineup):

8:00-9:00 PM
BONES (All-New
Episodes)

9:00-10:00 PM
FRINGE (All-New Episodes)

Thursday, Feb.
4:

8:00-9:00 PM
BONES

9:00-10:00 PM
FRINGE (Winter
Finale)

Thursday, Feb.
11:

8:00-10:00 PM
PAST LIFE (Two-Hour Series
Premiere)

Thursdays, beginning
Feb. 18:

8:00-9:00 PM
BONES

9:00-10:00 PM
PAST LIFE (Time Period
Premiere)

Thursdays, beginning
April 1:

8:00-9:00 PM
BONES

9:00-10:00 PM
FRINGE (Time Period
Premiere)

***************************

FRIDAY

Friday, Jan. 1:

8:00 PM-CC ET
ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL
(LIVE)

Fridays, beginning Jan.
8:

8:00-9:00 PM
BONES (Encore
Episodes)

9:00-10:00 PM
DOLLHOUSE (All-New
Episodes)

Friday, Jan.
22:

8:00-9:00 PM
BONES (Encore
Episode)

9:00-10:00 PM
DOLLHOUSE (Series
Finale)

Fridays, beginning Jan.
29:

8:00-9:00 PM
HOUSE (Encore
Episodes)

9:00-10:00 PM
KITCHEN NIGHTMARES (Season
Premiere)

**************************

SATURDAY

Saturdays (no change to
lineup):

8:00-8:30 PM
COPS

8:30-9:00 PM
COPS

9:00-10:00 PM
AMERICA’S MOST WANTED

11:00 PM-Midnight
THE WANDA SYKES
SHOW

Midnight-12:30 AM
SIT DOWN, SHUT
UP

***************************

SUNDAY

Sunday, Jan.
10:

8:00-8:30 PM
THE SIMPSONS (450th
Milestone Episode)

8:30-9:30
PM THE SIMPSONS 20TH
ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: IN 3-D! ON ICE!

9:30-10:00 PM THE CLEVELAND
SHOW

Sunday, Jan.
17:

4:00 PM-CC ET
NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF
(LIVE)

8:00-9:00 PM
HUMAN TARGET (Series
Preview)

9:00-11:00 PM
24 (2-Night / 4-Hour Season
Premiere, Part 1)

Sunday, Jan.
24:

6:00 PM-CC ET
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
(LIVE)

Sundays, beginning Jan.
31 (no change to lineup):

8:00-8:30 PM
THE SIMPSONS (All-New
Episodes)

8:30-9:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW (All-New
Episodes)

9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY (All-New
Episodes)

9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD (All-New
Episodes)

Sunday, March
14:

8:00-8:30 PM
THE
SIMPSONS

8:30-9:00 PM SONS OF TUCSON(Series Premiere)

9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY
GUY

9:30-10:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW (Time Period
Premiere)

[EDITOR’S NOTE
1: LIE TO ME will return to the schedule in the late spring, and ‘TIL
DEATH will return to the schedule at a later date.]

[EDITOR’S NOTE
2: THE CLEVELAND SHOW takes over the timeslot previously held by
AMERICAN DAD, which will return to the schedule at a later
date.]

[EDITOR’S NOTE 3:
THE SIMPSONS milestone 450th episode and
The Simpsons 20th
Anniversary Special: in 3-D! on Ice! special, which were
previously announced to air Thursday, Jan. 14, are now scheduled for
Sunday, Jan. 10.]